The present invention relates generally to packaged semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to a lead frame for a packaged semiconductor devices.
Packaged semiconductor devices typically include at least one integrated circuit (IC) die mounted on a die paddle (a.k.a. die flag) of a lead frame. The lead frame also provides leads to which the mounted die is electrically connected with bond wires. In addition to leads that provide signal paths for incoming and outgoing signals to and from the die, a lead frame also typically includes power bars that also are connected to the die using bond wires to provide power supply voltages (including possibly ground) to the die.
The number, sizes, and/or locations of the power bars can vary for different packaged device designs. As a result, lead frames are typically custom-made for specific packaged device designs, which tends to increase the cost of the lead frames. Furthermore, it is desirable to keep the bond wires used to provide power to dies in packaged devices as short as possible in order to reduce resistive power loss over the relatively thin bond wires.